The present invention relates generally to orthopedic implants and methods of manufacturing an orthopedic implant. In particular, the present invention relates to an orthopedic implant having a porous portion and a solid portion manufactured by an additive manufacturing process.
In the realm of orthopedic surgery, it is known to use implants to fix the position of bones. In this way, bones can be reconstructed, and malformations or other injuries corrected. However, different bones within the body have different functions and as such are exposed to different forces and stresses. Consequently, a single type of orthopedic implant is not well suited for implantation into the various types of bones which experience different forces and stresses.
Thus, the foregoing deficiencies of conventional implants can be overcome by engendering a method of manufacturing an orthopedic implant capable of selectively adjusting a physical property of the implant to account for the differing types of forces and stresses the implant is expected to be exposed to. This is accomplished by the orthopedic implants and methods of manufacturing the implants of the present invention.